Peace At Last

Jamaa…

Cosmo breathed in the scents of his home. The tall bamboo, the rich plants. The bustling streets, and busy shops. Jamaa was, to him, the perfect balance of civilization and the wild.

Cosmo smiled as he strolled down the street, humming a happy tune.

“Hello, Cosmo!” Peck shouted to Cosmo as he passed her.

“Hello, Peck!” Cosmo replied. He passed the bamboo hut and reached the center of Jamaa Township. He paused for a moment, relishing the hustle and bustle.

“Cosmo!” A shrill voice startled him out of his reverie and he turned, startled. There, making her way toward him, was a fox, whose name he could not quite recall.

“Cosmo!” she shrieked again. “I gave you a beautiful, prized lily, uh, herb.” Cosmo had to stop himself from snickering. Lily herb? “It was dying. I asked you to fix it. I said it had to be ready by this morning. Where is it?”

Cosmo abruptly stopped snickering. Flustered, he replied,”Tending to plants takes time. I’ll have it, uh, tomorrow.” He slipped away into the crowd, berating himself fiercely. How could he have forgotten? He was angry, too, at the fox. Why did she have to make such a scene?

Cosmo passed the Sol Arcade, but, before he could slip in to see how things were getting on in there, he found himself surrounded by jammers. They all seemed to be begging him.

“My bamboo. How could you have forgotten?”

“I gave you my rose. Can I have it back now?”

“My oak tree. Weren’t you taking care of it?”

“Enough!”

Everyone flinched, including Cosmo. Had that really been him?

Trying to keep his voice level, he said, “I just need some time. Please. Leave me alone.” Cosmo fought his way out of the crowd, feeling desperately lonely. He headed for his den, but, seeing it was filled with visitors bringing their plants for him to care for, he decided otherwise. He went to Sarepia Forest and miserably lay under the bushes, camouflaged. It seemed this was the most peace he would get.

“Cosmo, come in.”

Cosmo entered, gazing in awe at the grand room. The floor was beautiful, shimmering with glass, and the walls were covered with iridescent tiles. In the center of the room sat Mira, on a radiant silver throne.

“Hello, Cosmo. What brings you here today?”

“Mira,” Cosmo greeted Mira politely. “I was thinking. A few days ago, I was feeling... frustrated.”

“I heard,” said Mira, not unkindly.

“I needed somewhere to go, somewhere peaceful. But my den was filled with visitors, as usual, and everywhere else was crowded. I was thinking we could build, maybe, a pillow room… You know, calm, peaceful, pillows…”

Mira was nodding her head. “I think it could replace the Medical Center- it is rarely used anymore.”

“Oh, and one more thing. I know that our new technology has been used to add shortcuts to the maps, but… I was wondering if perhaps we could keep this room without a shortcut. It would attract too many visitors, and it wouldn’t be peaceful.”

“Of course, Cosmo.”

And so the Pillow Room was built, as a peaceful place to think, and it has remained free of shortcut ever since.